Chapter Eighty-Eight: Exposure

Chapter 88

Exposure

A stage was set up in Silverwood Gardens, a pristine park in Greammoom Hills. The stage had a white backdrop with a banner that said, “Congratulations to Dr. Ichiro Tachibana on the Doctor Dynamo award, and blue, gold, and white balloons framed the stage. There was a big screen TV playing a sideshow of various photos of Ichiro working diligently. Ichiro was a Japanese man with short black hair with glasses, wearing a lab coat over a suit. He resembled a generic stock photo of a doctor.

There were chairs across from the stage. Blair, Ivy, Demetrio, Sylvia, and Vanessa sat in the center row. Hiroto and Mayumi sat in the front row. Jaxon, Celeste, Tristan, and Deimos sat in the back row.

A young black woman with short pink hair wearing a lab coat over her dress suit was giving a speech. Ichiro sat on the chair behind her.

Doctor: “We at the Pink Top General Hospital are presenting this award to Dr. Ichiro Tachibana for his tireless and dedicated work. He has excellent bedside manners. He works diligently, and he cares for his patients.”

Mayumi and Hiroto sat together, crying tears of joy. Jaxon groaned and rolled his eyes. His Ray-Bans obscured his eyes. Celeste caressed his hand and leaned on him.

Doctor: “Ichiro, here is the award for your hard work.”

She presented him with an award within a frame. There was a round of applause. Ichiro went up to give his speech.

Ichiro: “I am very grateful to the hardworking, caring doctors of Pink Top General Hospital for presenting me with this award. The award is a wonderful acknowledgement of the team of workers at Pink Top General Hospital.”

He stated.

Ichiro: “We are working very hard to treat patients all over the globe who cannot reach adequate healthcare. We want to acknowledge and reach out to these people.”

He continued. Tristan crossed his legs. He could treat my insomnia with these speeches, he thought. Deimos held Tristan’s hand and kissed it. Jaxon yawned and stretched, draping his arm around Celeste. Celeste leaned on him and smiled.

Suddenly, as Ichiro gave his speech, the video of Hiroto penetrating Vanessa in a love hotel played.

Vanessa: “OH, HIROTO! YOU TOOK MY VIRGINITY! YOU POPPED MY CHERRY! I LOVE YOU!”

She moaned.

There was a round of gasps and screams. Demetrio, Sylvia, and Blair sat there in a state of shock. Vanessa reddened and cried, feeling utterly humiliated. Mayumi screamed, and Hiroto buried his head in his hands. Ivy smirked and turned to Blair. Well, Vanessa, time to kiss the Donati manor goodbye, she thought.

Tristan blinked. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably. Deimos rolled his eyes. Celeste cleared her throat and looked up at Jaxon.

Jaxon: “Jesus Christ, my eyes!”

He groused, shielding his eyes. He rushed over to the garbage bin to throw up. Celeste rose with him to hold his hair back as he got sick. Her nails trailed down his spine.

Ichiro looked around and looked behind him, seeing what everyone else saw. His heart sank, and he dropped his reward where it cracked upon hitting the floor, rushing to the projector to shut it off.

Tristan noticed he dropped his award to shut that off. Interesting, he thought.

The video turned back on with Hiroto whipped Vanessa’s ass with his belt six times and fucked her doggy-style. Mayumi howled and screamed.

Mayumi: “YOU STUPID DIRTY LITTLE WHORE!”

She screamed, marching up to Vanessa and slapping her across the face. Vanessa wailed and crashed to the ground. Sylvia pressed her hands against her temples. Ivy grinned, revelling in this. Demetrio and Blair knelt to Vanessa.

Mayumi: “YOU'RE A DISGRACE!”

She screamed at Hiroto, slapping him with her handbag. Ichiro grabbed his reward and ran away.

Tristan’s eyes grew large, and he cupped his mouth. Deimos rolled his eyes. Celeste looked at Jaxon, who was puking.

Celeste: “Uhhhmmm..”

She nodded to the scene. Jaxon slowly lifted his head and burst out laughing.

Jaxon: “Hahahahahahhaa.”

He laughed and shook his head as he watched the chaos unfold and the Tachibana tower crumble and fall.

Celeste: “Uhm, your brother… ran away.”

She said flatly.

Jaxon: “Coward.”

He scoffed and laughed.

The doctor came on stage.

Doctor: “Okay, everyone, calm down! We are trying to get this sorted! We are so sorry!”

She waved her hands around frantically.

Ivy grinned. Ah, good, Trevor, you can have all my chocolate pies. This will be over when I say it is, she thought.

That green cow did all this, Jaclyn thought. Ivy read her throughs and growled when she heard heels clicking.

Jaclyn: “Bravo, Ivy! You went through all this trouble to get Vanessa thrown out?”

She scoffed. Ivy glared at her.

Ivy: “I did no such thing, Jaclyn! I am just as upset as Blair is!”

She snapped. Jaclyn flipped her hair.

Jaclyn: “Such convenient timing. I couldn’t help but overhear that Vanessa caught you pleasuring yourself to Tristan.”

She smirked. Ivy growled at Jaclyn and Vanessa. She recalled Vanessa walking in on her when she masturbated to Tristan’s photos.

Blair: “SAVE IT, JACLYN! Ivy is DONE with that manipulative little liar! I proposed to her!”

He snapped.

Jaclyn: “Like that means anything, Blair. I say break off the engagement and propose to a woman who will give you her undivided attention. She is standing before you.”

Her breathing hitched.

Sylvia: “Jaclyn, this is neither the time nor the place! Someone humiliated Vanessa, and we’re going to find out who’s behind this and put a stop to it!”

She said doggedly.

Blair: “That’s right!”

Ivy’s heart sank. Jaclyn smirked.

Jaclyn: “Why the long face, Ivy?”

Ivy: “B-But, look at what Vanessa did! Isn’t that a scandal?!”

She whined.

Sylvia: “I was hired to protect this family, and I will stick by them no matter what!”

Ivy sat there panting.

Jaclyn: “You lost, Ivy! You showed that video of Blair’s little tramp of a cousin with Jiro’s father fornicating. All for nothing!”

She threw her head back and laughed.

Deimos and Tristan watched the argument between Jaclyn and Ivy, not knowing what to say. Celeste gaped at Ivy and Jaclyn. Jaxon burst out laughing and stole some popcorn from the vendor, sharing it with Celeste. Celeste took a handful and shoved it into her mouth.

Ivy lunged at Jaclyn.

Ivy: “YOU FUCKING BITCH!”

She screamed. Sylvia’s jaw dropped. Blair gasped.

Blair: “IVY! NO!”

He cried.

Jaclyn: “UNHAND ME, YOU FAT COW!”

They slapped each other. Ivy grabbed at Jaclyn’s dress, tearing it. They rolled around the lawn, slapping and tearing at each other’s clothes.

Sylvia: “Ladies, please!”

She cried, waving her hands.

Ivy screamed as Jaclyn pulled her hair. Ivy kicked Jaclyn’s hand off her.

Jaclyn: “YOU GREEN COW!”

She screamed. Ivy shoved her down on the ground and angrily kicked her repeatedly. Jaclyn grunted and lay there panting. Ivy stood over her, raging.

Ivy: “And if you want a rematch, just whistle… If you can!”

She marched back to Blair.

Blair: “What has gotten into you, Ivy?”

Ivy: “She slept with a married man, and you all act like it’s nothing!”

She snapped at him.

Vanessa: “Y-YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH TRISTAN! THIS IS WHY YOU DID THAT!”

She bawled and trembled. Sylvia scrutinized Ivy.

Ivy: “Go to Hell, you little whore!”

She slapped her hard and stormed off. Vanessa bawled on the ground. Blair watched Ivy go.

Tristan cupped his mouth. Deimos rolled his eyes. Celeste ate popcorn with Jaxon. Jaxon laughed with amusement.

Jaxon: “I was so wrong about her being an NPC. She's a lolcow.”

He laughed.

Celeste: “Tristan? What do you think?”

She asked him.

Tristan: “I don’t know what to think.”

He said flatly.

Jaxon: “Don't think. Just sit back and enjoy the show.”

He shrugged and laughed.

~

Deimos and Tristan sat in his living room, waiting for Fernando Molinero to show up and deliver the news. The doorbell rang. Monica rushed to get the door. Standing before her was a tall Hispanic man with slicked-back dark blue hair. He wore a pink Italian-cut suit with leopard print lapels, diamond buttons, cufflinks, a pastel yellow pressed shirt, a leopard print tie, and black alligator shoes. He was the manager of Tortugazm, Fernando Molinero. Monica cleared her throat and stepped aside.

Monica: “Young master, Mr. Molinero is here to see you, sir.”

She said to Deimos. Deimos rose. Tristan held his hand.

Fernando: “Afternoon, Deimos. I think you know why I am here.”

Deimos nodded and cleared his throat.

Deimos: ‘I do.”

Fernando: “The stuff your bandmate did… Yeeeeeah, not a good look for our brand. Sorry, kid, but we’re going to have to boot you from our opening act. Vivienne is too nice to tell others like it is, but I am not, and this is why I am his manager.”

Deimos wordlessly nodded. Fernando’s eyebrows raised surprisingly. No tantrum, no wisecracks, or rebuttals, he thought. Fernando heaved a deep sigh.

Fernando: “Look, kid, you have talent. It sucks that your bandmate or ex bandmate had to go crazy but no one wants to look at Sparaktikós because of her.”

Deimos nodded and closed his eyes. He made a praying gesture with his hands and exhaled sharply.

Deimos: “I don’t blame them.”

He said tersely. Fernando gazed intently at Deimos.

Fernando: “You have talent, kid. Why don’t you form another band? Best of luck to you.”

He smiled and nodded, straightening his jacket before he left.

Deimos flopped back and sighed dejectedly. Tristan leaned on him and wrapped his arm around him.

Tristan: “You know…, Jaxon’s bandmate flaked out on him, too.”

He began and flicked his gaze at Deimos. Deimos looked down at him.

Tristan: “Why don’t you and Jaxon form a band? You two have been getting along lately.”

He suggested. Deimos paused and gazed at Tristan. He kissed his head.

Deimos: “Not a bad idea, Tristan…”

~

Celeste and Jaxon returned home that evening. Celeste held up Jaxon’s empty whiskey bottle.

Celeste: “Didn’t Noah just buy this for you? I didn’t see you drink much of it.”

She asked. Alfonso came in and yawned.

Alfonso: “Hello, granddaughter dearest! Happy birthday to my favorite, most beautiful granddaughter in the world!”

He hugged her legs. Jaxon glared at Alfonso.

Jaxon: “YOU!”

He rasped, smacking him over the head. Alfonso winced and rubbed his head. He grinned at him.

Alfonso: “Nice to see my red hot pepper spicy as ever!”

He laughed.

Celeste: “My birthday was last month.”

She said flatly.

Alfonso: “I’m getting old, dear.”

He let her go and slapped Jaxon’s ass. He glared at him.

Jaxon: “FUCK OFF!”

Alfonso: “Well? Get me some tequila, sexy! And pour it down your leg. I want to drink from your foot!”

Jaxon: “How about I kick your ass?!”

He rasped. Alfonso bent over.

Alfonso: “Okay!”

Celeste: “The fuck is that in your shirt?”

She pointed to a piece of red material in his shirt. He pulled it out and held it up, showing Jaxon’s boxer briefs.

Jaxon: “You creepy old perv!”

He huffed, kicking him with his boot.

Celeste: “Why the Hell are you here?!”

She asked sharply.

Alfonso: “Oh, niña, I’m… I’m being evicted! I have nowhere to go! Save your grandfather!”

He wept.

Celeste: “...You own your house. How are you being evicted?”

He dug into his Hawaiian shirt and handed her an eviction notice. She took it and read it. She quirked an eyebrow and flapped the paper.

Celeste: “This is for Yolanda Gálvez.”

Alfonso sighed.

Jaxon: “Who is that?”

Celeste: “His neighbor.”

Alfonso: “Your tía, Gloria, came with her kids to my place. I can’t sleep. I need to stay here until she goes.”

He wept.

Alfonso: “I call dibs on Jaxon’s side.”

He grinned and slapped Jaxon’s ass.

Jaxon: “NO! You’re NOT staying here! GET OUT!”

He hissed, pointing at the door.

Celeste: “Okay, Gramps, you can’t stay here. I was gonna say use the room across from Noah’s, but yeah.”

She nodded.

Alfonso: “NO! Niña, I can’t be around Gloria’s screaming kids! I want to be around your sexy boyfriend!”

He whined and buried his head in Jaxon’s crotch. Jaxon glared at him, kicking him in his crotch. Alfonso fell to the floor.

Jaxon: “NO! I can’t be around your CREEPY GRANDPA, Celeste!”

He growled at him.

Deimos and Tristan entered.

Tristan: “Hello, Jaxon and Celeste!”

Jaxon: “Yo, watch out, there’s a creep on the loose!”

Alfonso gaped at Tristan and had hearts in his eyes.

Alfonso: “Oh, check out the ass on this one!”

He slapped Tristan’s ass. Tristan yelped and glared at Alfonso. Deimos growled and delivered a punch to his head, sending him to the floor.

Deimos: “GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF HIM!”

He barked. Tristan and Deimos both glared at him.

Celeste: “Oh, that’s my grandpa. Gloria is visiting with her kids, and he’s going to leave to spend time with my cousins.”

She drawled. Alfonso rose.

Alfonso: “NO! YOU’RE TERRIBLE, CELESTE! I WANT TO BE HERE WITH YOUR SEXY BOYFRIEND AND SEXY FRIEND! GIVE ME THAT BEFORE I DIE!”

He cried and vigorously rubbed his face on Tristan’s groin. Tristan screamed as the willies went through him. Deimos grabbed Alfonso and slammed his head into the wall, making a hole in it. Tristan leaned on the wal,l panting.

Jaxon: “OUR WALL! GET OUT OF HERE, YOU CREEP!”

He snapped at Alfonso, kicking his ass onto the lawn.

Deimos: “Uh, sorry about your wall. I will pay to get it fixed.”

He nodded to the hole. Jaxon waved his hand.

Jaxon: “Nah, man, it’s that old creep’s fault!”

Deimos: “I wanted to talk to you, Jaxon.”

He said and sat down.

Jaxon: “Oh yeah? Lay it on me.”

Celeste: “Hey, while you two talk, Tristan can take me to get us some dinner tonight. A new burger place opened. It’s called Barbra’s Burgers. What do you boys want?”

She asked.

Jaxon: “Surprise me.”

He kissed her. She kissed him back.

Deimos: “A double bacon cheeseburger with extra pickles. Lots of bacon, too. Fries and onion rings.”

He nodded and kissed Tristan.

Celeste: “Tristan and I are going to be a while. It’s a new place.”

She slid her feet into her boots and zipped them up.

Tristan: “See you two later.”

He nodded and went outside with Celeste. Jaxon watched them go, checking out Celestes’s ass as she walked off.

Jaxon turned to Deimos.

Jaxon: “So, it’s just you and me, huh?”

He swung his arms. Deimos nodded.

Deimos: “Vivienne’s manager came by to tell me he’s dropping Sparaktikós. I also received notice that all the albums are being pulled from shelves. I am not upset by this. After the bullshit Makayla pulled, I am glad.”

He began and rubbed his hands together. Jaxon’s eyebrows rose.

Jaxon: “Oh, shit, sorry, man. Nah, you don’t need her and can do better!”

He offered.

Deimos: “So, uh, do you want to start a band with me?”

He asked and rubbed the back of his neck. Jaxon’s jaw hung open.

Jaxon: “Ohhh, you wanna make a band with me, huh?”

He grinned. Deimos nodded eagerly.

Deimos: “Yes, I do! It seems your bandmate or bandmates flaked out on you, too. I always thought you had talent, but I also wondered if you were not working with the right people. Sometimes people can bring out the best in you while others bring out the worst.”

He said as he spun his fidget spinner.

Jaxon: “Yeah… talent isn’t everything, though. Brad had talent, but he was a fucking idiot and he chose that crazy bitch.”

He laughed bitterly and shook his head.

Jaxon: “I need someone who can do both. Play some facerock music, but not ditch for crazy bitches!”

He said.

Deimos: “I can do that. Who do you think did the work for Sparaktikós? I did. Makayla just rode my coattails while I did the work.”

He said bitterly. Jaxon pouted.

Jaxon: “I totally get it, man. I did all the work, too and fuck her!”

Deimos: “The fuckin’ band name was her retarded idea. I just used a Greek word for it. I went to Dad’s study to look it up since I forgot how to speak my own mother tongue.”

He leaned back and folded his arms over his chest.

Jaxon: “Okay, I gotta ask, what did that name mean? Why that name?”

He asked.

Deimos: “It means ‘heartbreakers’. Makayla said Ashley broke her heart when they went with my brother. My brother slept with Makayla when he first met her. He has a fat fetish and a feeder fetish, and she didn’t indulge him much, but Lazaros took to Ashley more. Makayla and Ashley were dating, or Makayla crushed on them. Anyway, I think Makayla was hinting that Brad broke her heart, so… yeah.”

He explained with a blank look on his face. Jaxon gaped at him and threw his head back with laughter.

Jaxon: “HAHAHA, HOLY SHIT!”

He laughed out loud.

Jaxon: “Heartbreakers?! Are you shitting me?! She’s the biggest heartbreaker! She fucked with my reputation! She broke Brad’s heart over stupid shit and cheated on him with some guy or girl in Selene Valley. Sounds like she did the same to your brother and Ashley.”

He scoffed and laughed.

Deimos: “Old habits die hard, I guess. Anyway, Lazaros and Ashley were done with her, and now she got Brad again.”

He spun his fidget spinner. Jaxon drew a breath and shook his head.

Jaxon: “What a cow.”

Deimos: “I am not looking forward to Easter.”

He finally said. Jaxon laughed.

Jaxon: “Why is that?”

Deimos: “The Lazaros thing will annoy me, but… my parents are coming over. I hate it when they do. My father always screams at me for doing this or that wrong. Being a failure. Why can’t I be more like Lazaros? Shit like that. My mom lies in bed, moping. She’s always ‘sick’. Like I remember one Easter dinner, I refused to eat the ham. I just hate ham? And Dad made me sit at the table, not allowing me to move until I ate it. I didn’t. He put it in my bedroom until I ate it and didn’t. I didn’t eat for a day or two.”

He relayed the event and spun his fidget spinner.

Jaxon: “Yeah, I get ya. My parents do that shit to me, too! Why can’t I be more like Ichiro? And shit. I wish my mother were always ‘sick.’ Nah, she’s in everyone’s soup all the time. Always gossiping about shit with her bitchy friends. I get ya, man, I got grounded for not getting ‘A.’ Even when I tried, I couldn’t get a ‘C’, so I just gave up trying.”

He laughed bitterly.

Deimos: “Your English is excellent. You speak like you’re from the Golden State… and this is because you learned it from movies, right? Namely horror movies?”

He smiled a bit. Jaxon’s eyes widened.

Jaxon: “Holy shit, how’d you know? Yeah, I got my hands on some American movies and learned a lot from those!”

Deimos: “I can tell by your slang, accent, and how you reference things. I love horror movies.”

He nodded.

Jaxon: “I can tell! I saw you wearing that ‘Not a plaything’ shirt!”

He stated.

Deimos: “I love that movie so much! The sequel is coming this summer and I’m stoked! Since Tristan hates horror movies, I am fine with going alone…”

He glanced at him.

Deimos: “Unless you want to come with me?”

He offered.

Jaxon: “Hell yeah! I’ll go with you, friend!”

He grinned and teased.

Deimos: “Friend, huh?”

He reddened. Jaxon laughed.

Jaxon: “Man, it’s crazy, we were punching each other and shit and now we’re making a band and seeing a horror together?!”

He chuckled. Deimos laughed.

Deimos: “Yeah, it’s funny how that all worked out…”

~

Vanessa and Hiroto were in a room at Peach Rain in bed. Hiroto was in his underwear and black socks with sock garters. He had his tie around his head like a ninja or rock star.

Suddenly, the room shook. Vanessa shrieked, and Hiroto stood still. With each tremor, a crack formed in the wall, then a huge dent, and a high-heeled booted foot crashed through. Through the dust and debris, Celeste stood there with her foot up as she kicked the wall down. Tristan was behind her. Vanessa screamed, and Hiroto stood there like a deer in the headlights. Tristan and Celeste entered, with Celeste kicking in the chunks of drywall with her boot.

Tristan: “Greetings, Mr. Tachibana. Fancy meeting you here after what everyone witnessed at your son’s acceptance speech.”

He chuckled with that gleam in his eye. Hiroto shifted his eyes and swallowed the lump in his throat.

Vanessa: “HIROTO, SAVE ME!”

She wailed. Celeste delivered a powerful kick that created a gust of wind, cutting Vanessa’s cheek.

Celeste: “Shut up, bitch! You ruined my boyfriend’s reputation and I’m going to fuck you up!”

She growled and leaped onto the bed, pulling a dead rat out of a paper bag. Vanessa screamed when she saw the rat.

Vanessa: “HIROTO!! HELP ME!!!”

She covered herself and cried. Hiroto screamed and ran out of the hole Celeste created. Tristan watched him go.

Tristan: “Hm, seems like Jaxon is the only one who isn’t a coward in the family. His brother ran away, too.”

He said wryly.

He cleared his throat.

Tristan: “Do you recall what I told you about righting wrongs? I told you to do that, or I would. It seems I have to, since you seem… preoccupied at the moment.”

He tilted his head and snickered. Vanessa trembled and embraced herself. Celeste lunged at her, pinning her down as a cat would to its prey. Vanessa bawled and wailed. She caterwauled when Celeste rubbed the dead rat on her.

Celeste: “TALK, BITCH! WHAT HAPPENED?!”

Vanessa: “PLEASE, DON’T!”

Celeste: “I’ll shove this in your fucking mouth!”

She growled and placed the rat near her mouth.

Vanessa: “NO! I WILL TALK!”

She wheezed and sobbed.

Tristan: “Then talk.”

He withdrew his cigarette case, got a cigarette out, lit it up, and inhaled a long drag. He pressed record on his recorder.

Vanessa sniffled. Her teary eyes gazed at Celeste’s snarling face and the dead rat.

Vanessa: “J-Jaxon was going to take me to bed when he picked me up at the Pink Flamingo Mall on Love Day. I said I loved him, but we didn’t have sex! I wanted his dad! Hiroto took my virginity!”

She cried.

Vanessa: “I lied on Whitney’s show because Robin told me to, and she said she would get me Hiroto! Jaxon and I did nothing! I don’t like men my age! Men my age are SO IMMATURE!”

She bawled and trembled in fear.

Tristan smiled, pressing stop, and he waved the tape recorder in the air.

Tristan: “Thank you for being cooperative, Vanessa! I am sorry if it had to come to this, but you left me no choice!”

He said in a saccharine tone.

Celeste: “Can I beat her up now?”

Vanessa gasped and screamed. Celeste put her hand over her mouth to muffle her screams. Tristan put his hand up.

Tristan: “That won’t be necessary, Celeste. We want Jaxon to prevail, and this wouldn’t make him look good.”

He said coolly.

Celeste: “Awwww!’

She whined.

Tristan: “Trust me, this will affect her more.”

He grinned. Celeste smiled a bit.

Tristan: “Shall we get our food? I’m famished.”

Celeste nodded and jumped off the bed, tossing the dead rat on Vanssa. Vanessa screamed and jumped off the bed with the sheets wrapped around her.

Celeste and Tristan left through the hole in the wall. Celeste ran ahead of Tristan.

Tristan: “Don’t leave me behind now!”

He tossed his cigarette in the cigarette disposal in the hall.

When the two descended the stairs, Ivy peered around the corner with a smirk. She had Samson in a cat stroller, eating a bucket of popcorn chicken from Bluegrass Friend Chicken.

So Tristan and Celeste spooked Vanessa. Why would Tristan go to this trouble to torment Blair’s trampy cousin? She wondered. Could it be… he still loves me? She wondered. She turned the stroller around and walked out.

~

Celeste and Tristan arrived back at Celeste and Jaxon’s place. Celeste carried bags from Barbra’s Burgers.

Celeste: “We’re back! Sorry, we were so long!”

She announced as she kicked off her boots and ran to the dining room table to place the food on it.

Tristan: “Yes, we had to deliver something to the press and pick up this food.”

He said as he followed her.

Deimos: “So you two got the confession?”

He rose and sat at the table.

Celeste: “Yup! And Hiroto ran away like a coward when I kicked the wall down and held up the dead rat.”

She said flatly as she got the burgers for herself and the boys. Jaxon grinned widely.

Jaxon: “Fucking coward!”

He laughed bitterly.

Celeste: “Anyway, I did the dirty work while Tristan recorded Vanessa telling the truth. So the truth will air tonight.”

She placed Jaxon’s food in front of him. It was a double bacon cheeseburger with fries.

Tristan: “I noticed Ichiro ran away at the acceptance speech. Oh well.”

Jaxon: “Daddy didn’t raise no coward. Oh, wait, he did! And he is one, too!”

He scoffed and laughed. Tristan chuckled.

He and Deimos unwrapped their burgers. Tristan bit into it and stopped. He spit it out.

Tristan: “Oh God, this tastes like… cinnamon.”

Deimos bit into his burger and made a face.

Deimos: “Yeah, it does!”

He groused. Jaxon took a bite of his burger and twisted his mouth.

Jaxon: “The fuck is THIS?!”

He spat it out. Celeste sat there and finished her burger. Deimos and Tristan gaped at her.

Celeste: “It’s not too bad!”

Deimos: “...It tastes like cinnamon…”

Celeste shrugged.

Celeste: “And?”

Jaxon: “It tastes like shit!”

He huffed, giving her his burger. Celeste bit into Jaxon’s burger and ate it all. Tristan cleared his throat.

Deimos: “The fries have skins on them and the onion rings have this gnarly coating on them.”

He shoved his food away.

Jaxon: “The fuck is this place?”

He laughed.

Tristan: “New place that opened, and it’s terrible. Worse than Voyage Burger.”

He sighed.

Jaxon: “Never go there again!”

He groused. Celeste just happily ate the food. Tristan heaved a deep sigh.